Voters in Detroit elected their first white mayor in 40 years on Tuesday, but he will be largely powerless in a city under the control of a state-appointment emergency manager shepherding it through the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history.

A state-appointed emergency manager has held most decision-making authority since May, and a federal bankruptcy court will decide if the government can seek Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection later this month. The current mayor, Dave Bing, complained about the emergency manager taking over and said in May he would not run for re-election.

Wow, who would have thought that a "serious news outlet" like TIME Magazine would be so fascinated by a politician's race??

This is the second article that has highlighted the 'whiteness' of Detroit's new mayor.

My advice to TIME: Get over it already.

We are WELL past the point in our nation's history when going agog over someone's race/ethnicity was in vogue. When I judge a politician or political candidate, the first thing I measure is not race. In fact, that doesn't even make my list at all. Instead, I look for experience, accomplishments, skill-set(s), vision, etc..

Only failing news outlets - yes, TIME, you are one of them - still use those outdated and antiquated gauges.

@mrbomb13 what do you think they did when Obama won? They made a big deal when Cory Booker won not only because he is black but he is also gay. Its what the media will do when Hillary runs for the oval office. The big deal is it is the first white to win in almost 40 years, in a city that is 86% black. The city has not done well with black mayors or council members, maybe a white will turn it around after the mess that the alleged black leaders have done to the city. Their great lack of work put the city in BK with their corruption.

@Openminded1 While I don't disagree that it is newsworthy in itself that a city that is 85% black elected a white mayor, the rest of your comment is nonsense. The city has not done well under it's previous mayors; the fact that they were black is irrelevant. Dennis Archer was a qualified and competent mayor, but the realities of Detroit, particularly it's tiny tax base and massive pension liabilities, will make it tough for any mayor (of any color) to succeed.

@RoyceMcCutchen It is a city that has been run by blacks for last 40 years, and they ran into the state it is in now. Lets wait and see after the Bk issues are over what the white mayor may or may not improve. The city needs an infusion of not only money but new color so to speak. before you jump to conclusions, I am black, so do not throw in the race card bs. It has been the worst run major city in the United States.